Saturday, May 31, 2008

I told you it would be the Spurs and the Pistons in the finals, didn't I? Evidence #234 in the case of the Raley jinx. It's real.

Every recyclable piece of garbage has been deposited in the local recycle station. I wonder what my carbon foot print is? I take public transportation, I recycle, have the "correct lightblubs" but man you oughtta see my lawnmower smoke for about 30 seconds. Whew!

As much as I am still boycotting The Cardinals, the team looks pretty good. It's nice to see some young capable kids in there. This Joe Mather kid is supposedly the next Willie McGee. Speaking of favorite baseball players, no one better than Willie. I have never seen a guy go from first to third faster than Willie, he looked like the roadrunner out there. Humble, gracious guy who needs his number retired at Busch Stadium. Now.

My Metro link stop to get to work is Busch Stadium. Whenever I walk by there on my way to work or after, I make it a point to always walk in front of the Jack Buck statue. They play his greatest calls from the archives on the speakers. I never tire of listening to him in his prime call an important moment. "Swing and THERE IT GOES!!!" Wow, what a gift and talent he had. I probably listened to him more in my youth than anyone on the radio. He made the whole thing seem so easy.

The show is tonight, grab your computer (or your radio) and tune in at 8pm cdt. 1120 am or here

I enjoy physical therapy. It hurts while they stretch and prod and stretch some more but my shoulder feels great and I am way ahead of schedule. What a way to start the day.

I am still taking the MetroLink from Shrewsbury to downtown. I then walk about 8 blocks to the station. It gives me a chance to read and get prepped for the day.

I got downtown just in time for an interview with Chebby Checker. I am going to use the interview on Route 66. Chubby Checker was HUGE in my family. My older brother was 12 when Chubby made his big record "The Twist" is 1960. In 1962, the song hit number one again. Of the few albums that my family owned, "The Twist" by Chubby Checker was one that was played constantly.

"The Twist", "The Huckelbuck","Love Is Strange", I know all of the songs by heart. It was, however very disappointing to talk with Chubby. He is pissed at the world. No one else has any appreciation for what Chubby did. Without Chubby, no one would have danced, there would have been no Beatles, etc etc. He finished the interview by saying he didn't care if he was in the rock and roll hall of fame or not but, he wanted to be awarded the Nobel prize in music. He says he had earned it for the way he has brought women and men together from different cultures, races, creed, etc and taught them how to dance. Ok, then.

I finished up the interview and I'm sitting at my desk, when one of the other producers walks in the room and says..."Don Felder's on the phone waiting to talk to Mark." Mark is Mark Reardon, our afternoon guy. Don has stood Mark up four different times in the recent past and now that Don is on the phone, Mark hasn't arrived at work yet. "Where is Mark?" she asked and I replied that he wasn't here yet. "Randy, can you do the interview?" I had read his book but since I don't have a talk show and Route 66 doesn't quite play The Eagles, I was pretty sure I couldn't use what we might talk about. "I don't want to blow this guy off". Ok, I said. I grabbed my headphones and headed to "Studio C". I started the interview with "Is this "Fingers" Felder from Gainesville Florida?" He laughed and off we went for 28 minutes. Since I read his book "Heaven and Hell", it was breeze. Really easy going, friendly guy to talk to. Told me about writing "Hotel Califonia" and how he was ceremoniously dumped from the band. I always thought he added some balls to the Eagles line up and the one complaint I have about the new Eagles release is that it sounds cold and sterile. He agreed and told me he wanted to hear more Joe Walsh on the record. It was one of the best interviews I have ever done and when and if I can figure out a way to podcast, you'll be able to hear it, too.

This is my favorite incarnation of the Eagles, with Randy Meisner on bass, Joe and Don on guitar along with Don and Glenn. No matter how many times I hear it, this song still makes the hair on my neck stand up.

So, two big huge figures from my life and I get to talk with both of them that day. Not bad. The Warren Zevon book is quite tasty, too.

I couldn't tell you what this guy has been up to in the last ten years, maybe nothing, but his stuff was so funny for so long. There were two guys that literally make me pee my pants when I was a kid. One was Red Skelton and the other was Harvey Korman. When the cast would lose it while trying to maintain their composure, you couldn't help being drawn in. He could say something unfunny and make it funny just by the way he would say it. While he spent all those years with Carol Burnett, his one movie triumph "Blazing Saddles" would cement his reputation. Damn funny.

When my mom was older she started to describe a time in her life when all those people she admired started dying off and how that made her feel. I think I 'm at that point in my life and have been for a few years now. All those people who touched my life somehow as a kid are departing.

Friday, May 30, 2008

I remember playing this song on the radio.. a lot. His real name is Michael Bolotin and he was also in a band called "Blackjack" before he got completely creepy in the mid 80s. He made a ton of dough, though.

Here's the promo on Blackjack..it's very funny. "Foreigner was the biggest name in rock music in 1977 and in 1979, the hottest name in rock and roll will be...Blackjack"!! Also in the band, Bruce Kulick, who went on to play with Kiss. One of the songs featured on the promo video is the one of their only songs that got air play, it's called "Love Me Tonight".

Proof positive, kids, that Michael Bolton was indeed, at one time, a rocker. Shocking!I have their album and thought it was pretty good.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

I really wanted to hate this record. In fact, I boycotted this release for a long time. I got it for Christmas and I didn't listen to it until last week. Why? I just got tired of pissy Don Henley selling the band out to Wal Mart and his treatment of Don Felder (great book) and basically being a pompous asshole. A friend of mine who works at the Fox theatre said that of all the people that had ever played there, by far, the biggest jerk was Don Henley. You want radio to pay your royalties? Without the radio playing "Take It Easy", I would have never rushed out and bought your first album. I have always thought Glenn Frey was a smarmy, arrogant prick.But, damn they made GREAT music together, along with the rest of the guys and I can say that The Eagles are one of the top three American bands of all time. This is an excellent piece of music. Very well played and sang and damn it, certainly better than "The Long Run" already. My only complaint is with the fact that it's a double album but, jeez, I don't know what songs you can leave off. I will say that Glenn and Don have rarely sounded better; the harmonies are outstanding and the playing on this record is Eagle quality. Tim and especially Joe sound together and playing well. I am sure there's a lot of filler on here, but I can't quite name them, yet. I really wanted to hate this, did I say that already? I will report back with my faves.

I got a call from a very good friend of mine on Tuesday. This is a guy I used to work for, a saint, a true gentlemen, a great program director and one of my closest radio buds. He called me at a time that I was just slammed with a thousand things to do and I told him I would call him back later in the day...which I never got around to, so I felt bad. "Make sure you call me", he said in that original conversation.Riding home that night on the Metrolink, I got to thinking what he might be calling about. Certainly, he was going to offer me a gig at a great annual compensation, right? What else could it be? After thinking about it all night and wondering what was up, I returned the call while riding into town the following day. "Hey, bud", I said when he picked up the phone (your first clue on how cool he is, is that he picked up his office phone). "Hey, pal, how ya doing? KMOX treating you right"? Here it comes, I thought. "Hey, I've been thinking, I am looking to get out of the business. Can you help me?" I was floored. He kept telling me how it's all passed him by, how he can't operate in this corporate structure anymore and how he'd rather do something else. This is a first rate PD that has won in major markets and one of the sharpest, most organized minds I have ever known. I gave him some ideas and told him that I felt for him and certainly understood his frustrations with what used to be a business that rewarded talent. It was a fun job to do, where people knew everything about the station and the people who worked there because THOSE people knew everything about the people and the city they broadcasted to. A business where creativity was rewarded by bigger audience shares, then in turn that was rewarded with bigger revenue by a well trained sales staff. When this guy wants out, it confirms to me what a sad pathetic thing we've done to music radio. He punched me in the gut and it hurt. I almost felt bitter most of the day yesterday, I was so bummed by what he told me earlier. I can't fathom where we'll end up.

Each home packs flat and can be assembled by four people with a screwdriver and awl (both tools are shipped with the structure). Buyers can add multiple features on to the original 10x12 foot structure, including a kitchen, bathroom, window-walls, and closets. The lightweight steel framework and corrugated walls can be easily disassembled and transported. Though the prototype's components are currently made in the U.S., BSC Designs is negotiating local production with South African manufacturers. The projected cost is $1500 a piece. Link

As my grandfather would say.."bout as useless as tits on a boar."

Moon Explosions

I love space stuff, ever since I was a kid

Since 2005, NASA has observed 100 explosions on the surface of the Moon. The big booms, usually equivalent to a few hundred pounds of TNT, are caused by meteoroids smashing into the Moon's surface. The flashes of the bigger impacts are easily spotted by amateur astronomers on Earth using a backyard telescope. NASA launched the monitoring program in response to the recent plans to send humans back to the Moon.These explosions don't require oxygen or combustion. Meteoroids hit the moon with tremendous kinetic energy, traveling 30,000 mph or faster. "At that speed, even a pebble can blast a crater several feet wide. The impact heats up rocks and soil on the lunar surface hot enough to glow like molten lava — hence the flash..."Fortunately, says (the head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, Bill) Cooke, astronauts are in little danger. "The odds of a direct hit are negligible. If, however, we start building big lunar outposts with lots of surface area, we'll have to carefully consider these statistics and bear in mind the odds of a structure getting hit." Secondary impacts are the greater concern. When meteoroids strike the Moon, debris goes flying in all directions. A single meteoroid produces a spray consisting of thousands of "secondary" particles all traveling at bullet-like velocities. This could be a problem because, while the odds of a direct hit are low, the odds of a secondary hit may be significantly greater. "Secondary particles smaller than a millimeter could pierce a spacesuit," notes Cooke.

I have always prided myself for having decent grammar skills. I think my profession took care of that many years ago. Even in school, the English language intrigued me. Song writing (like poetry)has that quality in it, too. Well written thought out words that are placed together in a way that involves the reader or listener. I always thought there were some composers who knew my life better than I did. It was in the way they communicated those words. Outside of some spelling errors and a couple of syntax problems here and there (I sometimes fergit), I think this is a well written blog, even if I do say so my self. And I shall.

One of my favorite people to read on Sunday morning is a guy named Leonard Pitts. Leonard is about as smart as they come. I don't always agree with him, but when he lays out his points on subjects, he usually wins the argument. He makes sense. I love writers like that. He wrote today of Chris Matthews verbally slapping around a conservative talk show host who couldn't remember what Neville Chamberlain did, after this person referred to Obama as being Neville Chamberlain. I personally don't care for Chris Matthews but it was an interesting read. Leonard has written columns about everything and I respect his writing. I have been wanting to send him an email, maybe I will.

Speaking of writing something well, I reprint this for the fact it's dead on, knock out right on the money.Credit goes to Charlie Reese:545 PEOPLEPoliticians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes? You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does. One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 300 million in this country - are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank. I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party. What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.** If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.** If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.** If the Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ.** If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do. Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power. They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses - provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

And while Charlie Reese wrote that excellent piece, he also wrote this crap:"The scriptural condemnation of homosexual behavior is explicit and unavoidable. The fact that the Rev. Gene Robinson paraded around the convention with his partner on his arm says about everything you would want to know about liberal Episcopalians.""Had the liberals been born in another time, they would have tripped over each other in a rush to kiss the rear end of the Roman emperor. No martyrs they." He is a top 5 guy when it comes to the website www.eyeonhate.com he's got some pretty extreme views.

So, the moral of this post is that there are a lot of varied voices in the blogosphere that will span the spectrum from right to left. Garbage on the left, garbage on the right. And a lot of time, garbage right here.

(the first image that pops up when you put "awe" in the image search engine)

I have not been awed by anything in a long time. As we get older, does our "awe" threshold get higher? The last time a said something like this, God gave me an awesome rainbow. I used to be awestruck all the time as a kid, just riding for miles on your bike could do that. But, sorry, nothing lately. I'll get back to you when something awes me.

One of the great comedic talents of my life. I laughed my arse off at that show, it was so fast and so stupid. I actually know who Dolly Read is (shaddup). She was beautiful. Good for him. Say Goodnight Dick...goodnight Dick SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 24, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Dick Martin, who co-created and co-hosted Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In - a show which forever changed the face of television - and who championed free speech and satire as staples in American media, died today of respiratory complications, while surrounded by his wife, family, and friends. He was 86 years young.In addition to a 25-year career in nightclubs and the success of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Dick Martin began a second career as a television director in 1976, starting with The Bob Newhart Show. He was the chief director of the 1980s sitcom Newhart as well as the host of the short-lived Mindreaders game show in the late 1970s. By the time he retired from his second career, he had directed over 200 hours of television.He married Britain's first Playboy Playmate Dolly Read (Dolly Martin) in 1971. Dolly Read had starred in the cult classic feature film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Martin was formerly married to Peggy Connelly. He has two sons, Richard Martin and Cary Martin.Dick Martin was born on January 30, 1922, in Battle Creek, Michigan. He took an early interest in comedy and in his twenties worked briefly as a staff writer for the radio show Duffy's Tavern, working with the author and Broadway director Abe Burrows.In 1951 he had a bit part in the Vincente Minnelli film Father's Little Dividend, alongside Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor, but it took him several more years to begin carving out a career for himself in television comedy. This began with an appearance on The Bob Hope Show, in an episode which also featured Diana Dors and Betty Grable. He then appeared in two episodes of The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, the first of which featured Shirley MacLaine and the second of which involved his first appearance with Dan Rowan, who was to become the other half of his famous double-act.It was 1952 when Dan Rowan and Dick Martin met. Dick Martin, who had just seen Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis perform at Slapsie Maxie's nightclub, decided "that looked like a lot of fun." Nine days later, Rowan and Martin broke in their act at Charlie Foy's Supper Club in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles. They didn't do all that well but while sitting at the bar after the show, comedian Joe Frisco came up to them and said "Don't give up kids - you've got class."Rowan and Martin began playing nightclubs throughout America. The first time they played Las Vegas was early 1953 at the Golden Nugget; they played three times downtown at the El Cortez before moving "up" to the Strip. They received their first big break in Lake Tahoe at the Calvada Lodge, owned by Joby Lewis of the Detroit "family."At the Calvada, they opened for a young singer named Nat King Cole. After a 3-week stint in Tahoe, Nat took the boys to Australia where they played Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, then flew on to play Auckland, New Zealand. Cole then took Rowan and Martin to the Chez Paree in Chicago, and on to the Copacabana in New York City. It was in 1955 that Rowan and Martin first played the Sands Hotel for a four-week engagement on the Las Vegas strip - they had arrived!Between 1962 and 1964, Martin - without Rowan - was a regular on The Lucy Show.Nat King Cole had opened the doors for Rowan and Martin, and they were now booked continuously as an opening act in Las Vegas and New York. At the same time, they began making appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show (a total of 18 times), the Perry Como Show (8 times), and The Hollywood Palace (10 times). They also appeared on the Dean Martin Variety Show on NBC.In 1966, Dean's producer, Greg Garrison, sold NBC on the idea of a Dean Martin summer show. NBC wanted to have rotating hosts in the manner of The Hollywood Palace, but Dean Martin insisted on Rowan and Martin as sole hosts of the shows.The 12 shows they hosted were so successful that NBC approached Rowan and Martin to host their own variety show. Dan and Dick said they "had something a little different" in mind. NBC said, "let's give it a try" and Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was born. They shot a special in September, 1967. NBC was not thrilled with the show, but critics around the country were so enthusiastic that NBC relented to a 13-week run beginning mid-season.Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In began their 13-show run in January, 1968. NBC put the show on opposite The Lucy Show and Gunsmoke, two mega-hits and nobody gave the show much of a chance - but by the eighth show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was the number one show in the country. Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In taped 144 shows and went off the air in 1973.Though he never neglected his television work, Martin became eagerly involved with Hollywood, appearing in comedies such as The Glass Bottom Boat; Zero to Sixty, with Darren McGavin and Joan Collins; and Carbon Copy, with George Segal and Denzel Washington. Martin also had acting roles in popular series including Coach, with Craig T Nelson and Jerry Van Dyke; 3rd Rock from the Sun, with John Lithgow and Kristen Johnston; Blossom, with Mayim Bialik and Joey Lawrence; Baywatch, with David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson; and Diagnosis Murder, with Dick Van Dyke and Scott Baio.Dan Rowan retired to France until his death from lymphatic cancer in 1987.Rowan and Martin also appeared together in comedy western film Once Upon a Horse and in the 1969 horror spoof film The Maltese Bippy, with Julie Newmar.Dan Rowan and Dick Martin received the 2,194th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002.As requested by Martin, there will be no funeral